Psychrophilic Daylilies of 2023

July 2, 2023July 4, 2023Leave a comment

It’s been a weird year. Not just the weather, but definitely the weather. Cold, wet spring. It felt like winter until it was summer – then BAM we get into fire weather with high winds and low humidity. I also lost my beloved soul dog, Sazi, in March. I adopted a new special needs senior in April and she had major surgery in May. Oh, and my art/houseplant business, Art from the Hartt, changed locations in May.

My dog, Kachina, and her new sister, Kokopelli

So, daylilies have been on the back burner. But, hey, it is July 1, and only 6 cultivators have bloomed so far this season, anyway. Mostly Saratoga Springtime – who bloomed on June 7th and is now finished. I lost almost all of the daylilies that I added last fall plus a couple old timers 😦 I added a few new ones from local nurseries to fill gaps – I am also using coleus as pot savers. I ordered a few new ones for fall, but I think I am out of space to nurture too many more.

Comanche Princess began blooming today (7.1)

I can’t believe it has been nearly 11 months since my last blog. One would think I had 4 other websites and a bunch of social media to run. . . Wait, I do. LOL. Plus, it was past peak when I stopped blogging last year in early August and we are no where near peak today. Anyway, enjoy my list (with pictures) of cultivators that have come through the cold spring and into bloom. I call them psychrophilic.

Four Eyes

July 1, 2022July 1, 2022Leave a comment

I have 100s of scapes. They are everywhere. Like little aliens running through the garden.

But, today only brought four new “eyes” to the 2022 blooming cultivators.

Bluegrass Music hasn’t bloomed in a couple years. One of my first near blues – except she is very purple. I just had to have her! And, some grower charged me $50 for 2 scrawny fans.

The others were reds and oranges. Today, I saw a post from 10 years ago on Facebook memories about Ruby Spider’s first bloom. I just loved the huge bloom. Ten years ago, I had like 5 daylilies. Crazy.

Still waiting for all hell to break loose. Tomorrow is another day.

Out of the Frying Pan . . .

June 30, 2022Leave a comment

And, decidedly into the fire. Several new blooms for 2022 doesn’t sound like many. It really isn’t too bad. Going from less than a dozen in bloom/day to almost 2 dozen today felt like daylily season.

I have 72 cultivators with scapea and or bloomed in the Southwest Visions garden. I don’t have more than a handful with nothing. It’s the same everywhere in my yard this year.

I had 2 premiere Ned Roberts spiders. Chaco Canyon and Orchid Moonrise.

Other premiers are Jungle Queen, Early Bird Cardinal, Thin Man, Primal Scream, and Mesa Verde.

Saratoga Springtime in almost done, as is Dream Keeper. It’s gonna be a crazy July. Primal Scream is right!

Santa Claus & The Eye of God

June 28, 2022Leave a comment

No, this is not a religious post. It’s about my daylily blooms today. And, as for now, all hell (meaning chaos) has not broken loose. I only had 3 premiere or first blooms for 2022 today.

First, another Ned Roberts spider, Ojo de Dios. Translates to the Eye of God. This is my 7th Roberts spider to bloom for 2022.

Indian Love Call also made her premiere. She is my best rebloomer so I put her in 2 places this year.

Where does Santa fit in? Well, Santa was hiding older the shrub when I went on my morning walk. So, he got missed until I found him wilted in the afternoon sun. Poor Santa. I have him in my collection because my dad played Santa for many years when I was a kid.

Many buds, maybe a little monsoon action tomorrow. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever had so many in bud in the front garden. I started hooking up my drip system intermittently in laye March. Maybe this is the payoff.

Come Hell or High Water

June 28, 2022Leave a comment

Yesterday, the rains came. Many daylily growers live where that happens often enough that it isn’t out of the ordinary. In Western Colorado, it’s usually out of the ordinary.

Today, all hell started breaking loose. In other words, I had a record number of first blooms for the season. Where to start? Maybe alphabetical.

I best get some sleep. Once it starts, there is no stopping it. Come hell or high water. Because, I think the bloom rate is going to be high this year.

A Native American and Her Horse

June 27, 2022Leave a comment

Today, the rain came. It is monsoon season. Sometimes you get rain, and sometimes it moves right past you. The moisture is good but it may make all hell break loose.

Today, however, the season continued at it’s slow pace. I had two premiers and a ton of fat buds.

Comanche Princess, one of my Ned Roberts spiders bloomed for the first time this season. She always looks like she is doing somersaults to me.

To go along with the theme of a Comanche Princess, Wild Horses also made a premiere today. I actually googled both names together and got a lot of photos of Native Americans and their ponies.

Today’s boutique is dedicated to my beloved but estranged daughter, Erica. We haven’t spoken in 25 years or so. Today is her birthday. I hope she is safe, healthy, happy, and at peace. Happy birthday. I’m proud of you.

That’s all for today.

Groundhogs Day Lilies

June 25, 2022Leave a comment

I love that old movie Groundhogs Day. “Babe, I got you, babe.” Every day, he wakes up to the same day.

Yellow Punch with pollinator moth in camo 6.25

It feels that way in my daylily garden this year. The same 8 cultivators. Some daily, some intermittently. The buds grow larger and leak their color. But, for now it’s “I got you babe.” Until all hell breaks loose.

All Hell is About to Break Loose!

June 24, 20225 Comments

No new daylilies in bloom today. What IS new is that I’m now officially retired. But, that’s not why all hell is going to break loose. Well, maybe.

I have ~185 daylilies. I have 8 that are currently in bloom. About 5%. I have ~140 with scapes or in bloom – about 75%. That’s the hell that’s about to break loose. One day, I’ll wake up to 50 in bloom or something.

I’ll show off the 3 Ned Roberts spiders that were in bloom, again, today.

I’ll also show off my gorgeous prickly pear bloom and my cool bromeliad bloom. My broms live on the front porch all summer, so they are part of my outdoor garden.

I wonder if all hell will break loose tomorrow?

Paradoxical Daylilies

June 23, 2022Leave a comment

Indian Giver was a bonus plant I got probably 6 years ago. It had water issues the first couple of years, both loves being in a buried pot. It was a delight when it finally bloomed. I love the purple with white edges. I wouldn’t call it a mini, but it’s a smaller bloom. She had her premiere bloom today.

My other premier bloom was Happy Returns. She is a yellow, fragile Stella de Oro type daylily.

Indian Giver is an old expression for one party thinking they are being given a gift, while the other party thinks it’s a trade. When the second party realizes it isn’t a trade, they take back the “gift.” We would call it scamming these days.

Happy Returns means to wish someone a good day or happy birthday. It’s an expression of hope that the joy will return many times.

The paradox is in the meanings of the names. One is an expression of anger and discontent. The other of goodwill and optimism. It hit me as funny as I posted these to Instagram this morning. Purple and yellow are also opposite colors. I smile at nature’s hidden message.

The monsoons should return tomorrow. We will see.

Kokopelli and the Summer Solstice

June 22, 2022June 22, 2022Leave a comment

Kokopelli is one of the most intriguing and widespread images surviving from ancient Anasazi Indian culture. He is depicted as a humpbacked flute player, and is widely believed to bring well-being to the people. He was the one who would change the seasons and bring about a good harvest. Allie Prater

Kokopelli came today, bringing with him the change of seasons. Kokopelli, my Ned Roberts spider daylily that is. This cultivator is my gateway to my collection of Neds. Spied at the lily auction back when I was first considering a Southwestern Visions garden.

My other premier today is Apache Bandana. Another Ned Roberts spider.

I have 120+ in bloom or scapes. Two days left until retirement starts and 20% cell battery. See you tomorrow. My others are still blooming, BTW.

Colorado Kid Daylilies

A Blog About My Western Colorado Daylily Adventure

Category: June Daylilies